Hand illuminating grenade



Nov.. 22, 1960 L. D. JACKSON E1' Ax. 2,950,934.

HAND ILLUMINATING GRENADE Filed Dec. 29, 1944 tu" f 2]. nwe/wrom, L., Jikson EL'. Jbnes HAND ILLUNHNATING GRENADE Leonard D. Jackson, Alexandria, Va., and Hilton E. Jones, Detroit, Mich.

)Filed Dec. 29, 1944, Ser. No. 570,422

Claims. (Cl. 102--37.8)

(Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), sec. 266) This invention relates to a hand illuminating grenade.

A hand illuminating grenade is a pyrotechnic device which has for its principal function to illuminate at night a limited area of terrain, usually an area dominated by enemy re. Obviously, however, such a device could be used as a signalling means, particularly for distress signals.

An object of this invention is to provide a hand illuminating grenade which will utilize the conventional arrangement and firing mechanism of the ordinary explosive hand grenade, and which will require no additional instruction as to its mode of operation to be imparted to military personnel already familiar with the ordinary explosive hand grenade.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a two part separable illuminating hand grenade in which a plurality of fuses when ignited generate suicient pressure within the grenade to forcibly separate the two parts of the container and concurrently therewith initiate ignition of the illuminating compound arranged in one part of the container.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of the preferred embodiment as shown -in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a perspective View of the hand illuminating grenade;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View of same;

Fig. 3 is a view along the section line 3-3 of Fig. 2 showing in particular the arrangement of the fuses and the illuminating charge; and

Fig. 4 is a view along the section line 4-4 of Fig. 2 showing in particular the means for holding the priming cartridge.

Referring to Fig. 2 in particular, the hand illuminating grenade of the present invention comprises a container of two sections, the lower section 1 and the upper section 2, these two sections, when assembled, forming the container of generally elliptical cross section. The lower sect-ion 1 of the container is flattened at la to form a supporting bottom for the grenade and this section at its top is altered in curvature to form a wall section 1b of cylindrical contour for receiving the rim of the upper section, as will be later described. The wall of this cylindrical portion ilb is slit at a plurality of arcuate points, here shown as four, to forrn ears or lugs 1c, these being bent inwardly into a horizontal plane for securing in position the charge retaining plate 3. This plate has a central aperture 3a and a plurality of arcuately spaced apertures 3b therein which have the dual functions of admitting the fuse, to be later described, and of allowing the gases of combustion to escape, for a purpose also to be later described.

The lower container section 1 is substantially filled with an illuminating charge 4, this charge being of any suitable chemical composition that will burn slowly and produce a bright light. The particular composition here used has the following ingredients:

rice

Percent Barium nitrate 64.0 Sodium oxalate 10.0 Aluminum powder 3.5 Aluminum grain 15.5 Sulphur 5.0 Linseed oil 2.0

Total 100.0

Over the top of the illuminating charge 4 there is placed a secondary charge 5, this being a mixture of 20% 4 FG Black Powder and of the illuminating compound above described. The function of this compound is to burn rapidly and produce heat and a large volume of gases, and to ignite the illuminating charge 4. Likewise, over the top of the secondary charge 5 there is placed a single layer 6 of highly combustible granular matter of any suitable chemical composition, ordinary black powder being well suited for the purpose, this layer being adapted to pick up the arne jet from the fuse, also to be later described, and in turn to ignite the secondary charge 5.

The upper container section 2 adjacent its bottom is swaged at 2 and rolled to form a cylindrical rim or skirt Section 2b. The inner diameter of this rim section is so proportioned that it will tightly encompass the outer diameter of the upper cylindrical portion 1b of the lower container section 1 when the upper section 2 and the lower section 1 are in assembled relationship. By this arrangement the two parts of the container are separably secured together at the aforesaid joint and adapted to be separated at the joint when sufficient heat and pressure have been generated within the container. The joint between the upper cylindrical portion 1b of the lower container section 1 and the rim portion 2b of the upper container section 2 may be coated with Pettman Cement and thus preventing moisture from seeping therebetween. This is a well known adhesive of British origin but now made by a number of manufacturers of paints and varnishes in this country as Type l according to U.S. Arrny Specification No. 50-11-8. One of the characteristics of this adhesive is that it will melt readily at the temperatures produced upon ignition and combustion of fuses 12, 13 and 14.

At its top the upper container section 2 is flattened at 2a and provided with an axial aperture 2c. An internally threaded nut has a top flange 7a and is faced off so as to provide at 7 a shoulder, the vertical side wall of which is adapted to have a tight t within the axial aperture 2c. The top flange 7a of the nut 7 is secured to the inner wall of the upper container section 2 by a web or fillet 8 of silver solder around the upper periphery of the ange, this silver solder being according to U.S. Navy Specification No. 47: S13. As is well known a silver soldered joint is heat resistant, even at high temperatures.

A plug 9 has a bottom flange 9a which extends radially to one side, for a purpose to be later described, a cylindrical threaded section 9b, which is adapted to be secured within the nut 7, and a cylindrical lower section 9c. This plug is preferably die cast of White Metal to minimize cost of manufacture and facilitate machining operations. As shown in Fig. l, the plug has on its exterior a vertical abutment or lug 9j adapted to be gripped by a special wrench for assembly of the plug into the nut and onto the upper container section 2. Since White Metal is somewhat brittle, it is desirable to provide a special wrench of short length to discourage the assembler from applying too great a torque such as might be the case if means would be provided on the body of the plug for engagement by the ordinary wrench. Between the bottom flange 9a of the plug 9 and the top surface comprised jointly by the upper face of the nut 7 and the flattened top wall 2a of the upper container section 2 there is positioned an annular gasket 11 of cork, rubber, or any other suitable gasket material. A bore extends entirely throughthe main body of the plug- 9, the threadedection 9b, and the lower cylindrical section 9c. Inthis bore there is positioned a section 12 of fuse ofthe type known in.the pyrotechnic art as the Ensign,BickfordA fuse. This fuse is manufactured byT he Ensign-Bickfordmof Simsbury, Conn. The fuse section 12 has its top at about the mid-height of the threaded portion 9b of the plug audits lower portion projects downwardly from the cylindrical extension 9c of the plug and through and just below the aperture 3a in the plate 3. The cylindrical extension 9c `of the plug is counterbored at 9d and the wall of this counterbore is crimped at 9e to hold the fuse section 12 in place.

Adjacent the lower end of the fuse `sectionr12 there is l provided a diametral hole through which extends a second length of quick-match or cord-like fuse 13, the latter having its ends restingony the charge .retaining plate 3 and being ofgenerally Seslhaped cont-our in the horizontal plane, as shown in Fig.V 3: A third length of quick-match or cord-like fuse 14V -extends from a point adjacent the periphery of the charge retaining plate 3, through one of the arcuately spaced apertures 3b in this plate, along the under side of the latter, through the central aperture 3a in same, then is; formed YwithY an upwardly extending hair pin bend, extends back through thecentral aperture 3a, along the under face lof the -plate 3, through a second aperture 3b, diametrically disposed with respect to the first aperture 3b, and again to a point adjacent the periphery of the charge retaining plate 3. By the aforesaid arrangement of the fuses-13 and 14 it will be understood, that upon ignition of the fuse 13 by the time delay fus-e 12, the flash therefrom confined within the chamber is of sufficient intensity to cause ignition of the fuse 14. As the ignition, sensitivity of the fuse composition is of an extremely high order, ignition of fuse 14 by fuse 13 will occur regardless of the relative position of the end portions of 13 with respect to the end portions of 14. The purpose of this arrangementv of fuses 13 and 14 is to provide an adequate length of highly combustible materials thereby to provide sufficient fire within the chamber to ignite the layer of granular pyrotechnic material 6 and also produce sufficient heat within the chamberjto cause,thePettman Cement to melt and suicient pressure therein to forci- -bly'separate the upper section Z'of thecontainer from the lower section 1 when the cement has been melted. It will be noted, particularly from Fig. 3, that the ends of the two cord-like fuses 13 and 14 are disposed within the chamber thereby to insure that the ash from fuse 13 will ignite fuse 14 due to the ignitionsensitivity thereof. At its upper end andrpositioned in a central vbore-in the fuse section 12 is a device 15, known in the art of pyro. technics as a quick-match. This isa standard commercial device and can be obtained from almostl any manufacturer of fireworks or explosives.

The bore in the plug 9 is enlarged, or counter-bored, atits upper end to form a chamber 10a for receiving thepriming cartridge 16. Along the side wall of the counter-bore 10 there are formed vertical ribs 10b, these being rounded at their tops, which rounded portions, in conjunction with the bottom of a counterbore 9j in the plug, form a supporting means for the rim of the priming cartridge 16. The spaces between the ribs 10b form exit means for permitting the escape of gases resulting from the combustion of the fuse section 12, the quick-match 15, and the priming cartridge 16.

The plug 9 is formed lwitha chamber 9g and an outwardly extendinglip 9h at its upper end.V Over the bottom of thechamber 9g, and overlying the priming cartridge 16, there is placed a diaphragm 17 of thin cellulose material,` for 'instance cellophanef Scotch ltapef. etc.;

4f" for protecting the bore 10 from the entrance of moisture.

The bottom flange 9a and the lip 9h on the plug 9 extend from the latter in opposite directions and the former is integrally formed with parallel vertically extending side walls 9i, only one `of these being shown in Fig. 2. A pivot rod 18 .extends between these side walls and a firing arm 19 has its hub surrounding this pivot rod. Encircling thepivot rod 1 8 are the coils of a coil spring 20, one end 20a of which bears against the body of the plug9, and.the;other end 20b;of which abuts the firing arm 19. At its outer end the tiring arm 19 carries a weight element 21, which is secured to the firing arm by a stud 22. The outer end of this stud is blunt and of reduced diameter to act as a firing pin.

Anoperating arm v23 isof the same general curvature as the container body sections 1 and 2. This arm has a longitudinal rib 23 therein, which functions as a reinforcing structure, downwardly depending siderflanges 23a, which are adapted toencompass the side Walls 9i of the plug9, aflat horizontal portion 23h, which is adapted to overlie the chamber 9g in the top of the plug9, and a curvedange 23e, which is adapted to hook on the lip 9h of the plug 9. When the operating arm 23 is in position, as shown in Fig. 2, holes in the side anges 23a of this arm register with aligned holes in the side walls 9i `on the flange 9a of the plug 9, and a pin 24, here shown as an ordinary cotter pin, is passed Vthrough .thesen holes thereby securing the operating arm 23 on the plug 9 and :the body of ,the grenade. with thev operating arm in the position here shown, the Ifiring arm 19 is locked in position both by the firing pin 22 thereon abutting the operating arm, and by the firing arm itself being in close juxtaposition with the pin 24. A pull ring 25 is passed through the eye of the pin 24 to facilitate the withdrawal of same.

From the-foregoing description the operation ofthe hand illuminating grenade is thought to be obvious. TheV handling of the hand grenade is done in the same manner as the ordinary explosive grenade. If a member of the armed forces shoulddesire at night to illuminate a certain portion of terrain, say a spot under enemy re, he will grasp both the body 1 2 of the grenade and the operating handle'23 in the hand of his throwing arm, pull out the pin by manipulating the ring 25 with the other hand, and then throw the grenade in the proximity of the spot to be illuminated. The withdrawal of the pin 24 will leave the operatingarm 23, held by the throwers hand, as the only restraining means for the ring arm 19, which is undern the force exerted by. the spring 20. As soon as the grenade Aleavesthe hand of the thrower, the spring 20 and the firing arm 19 force the operating arm 23 off the. grenade and the firing arm will snap through an arc of about two hundred and seventy degrees (270), smash the diaphragm 17 and the firing pin 22 onthe firing arm will detonate thepriming cartridge 16. Thedetonation ofthe priming cartridge 16 will ignite the quick-.mate 15, which in turn will ignite the Ensign-Bickford. fuse 12, the latter will successively ignite thelirst cord-like fuse 13, and the latter in turn will, ignite the second cordlike fuse 14.

The above arrangement of the fuses for successive detonation provides a time delay action so that the illuminating compound 4 will not be ignited until the grenade has left the arm-of the thrower and arrived at or near the spot to be illuminated. As thecord-like fuse 13 is ignited in the aforesaid manner, the third cord-like vfuse 14 is ignited thereby and burns from its ends inwardly, the layer of granular explosive 6 will be ignited and this in turn will ignite the secondary charge 5. The combustion of the secondary charge 5 will ignite the illuminating.

compound l4.v The heat of the combustion ofthe fuses 12 and 13 will melt'the joint of Pettman Cement between the cylindrical portions 1b of the lower container section; 1' and 2b of the -upper container sectionZ,` the upper joint 8 of silven'solder, betweensth'e flange-7a. of

As shown in Fig. 2, and.

the nut 7 and the flattened end 2a of the upper container section 2 holding firm as the pyrotechnics within the chamber are ignited and burned. The pressure of the gases generated within the chamber by the combustion of the fuses 12, 13 and 14 is sufficient to blast apart the upper and lower container sections ll and 2, leaving the lower section 1 with the burning charge 4 therein to act as an illuminating Hare.

it will be understood that the above description and the accompanying drawings comprehend only the general and preferred embodiment of the invention and that various changes in the construction, proportion, and arrangement of the parts may be made within the scope of the appended claims without sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

The inventionV herein described and claimed may bemanufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

What is claimed as new and desired to oe secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A hand illuminating grenade comprising a two part container having a pressure chamber provided in one part thereof, a releasable joint between the two parts of said container, illuminating compound in the container, means including a highly combustible priming substance adjacent said illuminating compound for igniting said compound, a time delay fuse supported by one part of the container and extending into said chamber and comprising a quickmatch for initiating combustion of said time delay fuse, a second fuse attached to said delay fuse and having the free ends thereof disposed within said chamber and ignited by said time delay fuse, and a third fuse arranged within the other part of the container and having end portions disposed in close proximity to the priming substance and a loop portion extending into the chamber and adapted to ignite said priming substance, said first, second, and third fuses being adapted to produce suincient pressure within the chamber when ignited to forcibly separate the two parts of the container at said releasable joint.

2. A hand illuminating grenade comprising a two part container having a pressure chamber provided therein, fuse holding means projecting into one part of the container, a time delay element arranged within said fuse holder and extending into said chamber, means for igniting said time delay fuse, a releasable joint between the two parts of the container, a body of illuminating compound in the other part of the container, a layer of high heat producing material over the body of illuminating compound for igniting said compound, a length of quickmatch secured to the time delay fuse and disposed within the chamber and ignited by the delay fuse, an additional length of quick-match arranged within said other part of the container and having a looped portion thereof disposed within the chamber and ignited by said first named quick-mate and quick-matches being adapted to generate sufficient pressure within the chamber when ignited to forcibly separate the two parts of the container at the releasable joint, and means ignited by said additional length of quick-mate for igniting said heat producing material.

3. A hand illuminating grenade comprising a two part container having a pressure chamber provided therein, a releasable joint between the two parts of said container, fuse holding means secured to one part of the container and extending into said chamber, a time delay fuse arranged within said holding means and extending into the chamber, means on said holding means for ring said time delay fuse, a length of quick-match secured to one end of the delay fuse and having the free ends thereof disposed within the chamber and ignited by the delay fuse, a body of illuminating compound in the other part of the container, a layer of high heat producing material over the body of said illuminating compound for igniting said compound, a retaining disc having a pair of openings therein and secured within the other part of the container, an additional length of quick-match having the free ends thereof respectively disposed within said openings in the disc and extending therethrough and arranged to be ignited by said iirst named quick-match, said additional length of quick-match having a looped portion disposed within the chamber thereby to generate additional pressure therein, said first and last named quickmatches being adapted to generate suiiicient pressure within the chamber when ignited to cause the one part of the container to be forcibly dislodged from the other part at the releasable joint, and means tired by said additional quick-match for ring the heat producing material.

4. A hand illuminating grenade comprising a two part container having a pressure chamber provided in one part thereof, a releasable joint between the two parts of said container, a quantity of illuminating compound disposed within the other part of said container subjacent said chamber, means including a quantity of highly combustible priming substance arranged superjacent said illuminating compound for igniting said compound, a time delay fuse supported by said one part of the container and having a substantial portion thereof disposed within said chamber, a second fuse secured to said delay fuse and disposed within the chamber and ignited by the delay fuse in predetermined time delayed relation with respect to the ignition thereof, a third fuse having a looped portion disposed within said chamber and the free terminal ends of the looped portion in close proximity to said second fuse and the priming substance and ignited by said second fuse for initiating the priming substance, said first, second and third fuses being adapted to produce sufficient pressure within the chamber after ignition thereof to forcibly separate the two parts of the container at said releasable joint, and means arranged within and secured to the other part of said container for maintaining the priming substance and illuminating compound therein and said free ends of the third fuse in close proximity with said second fuse and priming substance.

5. A hand illuminating grenade comprising a two part container having a pressure chamber provided therein, a releasable joint between the two parts of said container, a time delay fuse supported by one part of said container, means for initiating said time delay fuse, a pyrotechnic compound arranged within the other part of said container, a length of quick-match secured to said delay fuse and ignited thereby, an additional length of quickmatch having the free ends thereof disposed in close proximity to the first named quick-match and said pyrotechnic compound and ignited by said first named quickmatch thereby to ignite said pyrotechnic compound, said quick-matches being constructed and arranged to generate sufficient pressure within said chamber after ignition thereof to cause the one part of the container to be forcibly dislodged from said other part at the releasable joint, and a retaining disc disposed within and secured to the other part of said container for maintaining the pyrotechnic compound therein and the free ends of the additional length of quick-match in close proximity with said first named quick-match.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 649,612 Moore May 15, 1900 809,029 Stanford et al. Jan. 2, 1906 1,620,475 Lawrence Mar. 8, 1927 1,858,456 Mills May 17, 1932 1,961,364 Hunter June 5, 1934 2,051,331 Bobula Aug. 18, 1936 2,094,562 Lowy Sept. 28, 1937 2,328,916 Le Comte Sept. 7, 1943 2,396,064 Van Karner Mar. 5, 1946 

